You Brew My Tea

Daddy I love you SOOOOOO Much!

2012-01-26T14:15:00.001-06:00

By the time this is posted, my Dad will be in the Heart Cath Lab at our local hospital. This procedure is something simple and not generally a stressful experience, but for me and my family it is terrifying. Heart Cath is a normal and simple outpatient procedure where the physician goes in through an artery in your leg/groin or arm with a wire to determine if you have any blockages in your arteries. Generally speaking if there is a blockage then within hours you will be in the OR and having stints placed. It’s done every day all over the nation for hundreds of thousands of people with great success and very little trauma.

But those other people – they aren’t my Daddy.

I’m a Daddy’s girl. I always have been. When I was little, I would climb up between him and my mom in the front seat of our car and I would lean my head on his shoulder and say, “Daddy…I love you SOOOO much!” and then he would ask me what I wanted – and in many cases – I would get my way. I have always been a lot like him, yet in many ways his complete opposite. I grew up wanting his approval in everything and then, found myself on the opposite side of the spectrum doing all the things he didn’t approve of because I felt like I couldn’t be what he wanted no matter how hard I tried. There was much truth to that. My Daddy and me – we have had a lot of years of anger and pain between us. There are many old hurts and bad feelings that had to be overcome. I don’t think we’ve ever really discussed those things as much as we came to a silent truce to let go and just start loving and growing again. The last two years after many years of stress between us – have been great. My Daddy still doesn’t approve of all or many of my decisions – but he is once again my friend, my supporter and one of my greatest cheerleaders.

When I found out on Monday that he would be going through this procedure my heart dropped into the pit of my stomach. It may be simple for others but it’s complicated for him. My Daddy is overweight – morbidly obese actually. He suffers from uncontrolled insulin dependent diabetes. That combined with high blood pressure, arthritis and general poor health what is usually an easy thing to have done could go bad very quickly in his case. But more than anything – it’s the thought that my Daddy needs me more now than I need him. The last year he has called on me to help him with so many things, and I feel blessed that he trusts me to do them for him. At the same time, it’s tough to realize my protector, provider and the first man I ever loved could be taken from me any moment. You never want to face the reality that your parents won’t live forever – but this week – it hits home even more than ever before for me.

I am sure he will sail through this procedure and any subsequent procedures/surgeries needed with no problems at all – but the simple idea that he might not left a hollow place inside me. I love my Daddy. I’m not ready to say goodbye yet. I need him still. We all need him here with us.

We covet your prayers as he goes through this procedure this Thursday and any recovery afterwards.

Week 3 in the Gym: 11.9 Pounds Down!

2012-01-25T09:00:00.002-06:00

I have made it through 3 weeks of going to the gym and yes – I can tell a difference. I personally can’t look in the mirror and see a physical difference, but my boyfriend can so I guess I will believe him! I can however tell a drastic difference in other things already.

Much more energy on a daily basis and sleeping much better
Gastrointestinal issues of “that time of the month” significantly better this month
HUGE increase in endurance in cardio activities in and outside the gym

The first night I went to the gym I was truly embarrassed by how hard it was for me to simply walk on the treadmill for half an hour. I had expected to be in bad shape – but honestly had hoped it wasn’t THAT bad. Three weeks down the road and I can say I do indeed hold my own. I still can’t get on the elliptical machine and go solid at a steady pace for more than ten minutes (the gal that does 45 minutes at a jogging pace amazes me every time still!) but I can get on the treadmill and walk or jog in sprints for 45 minutes or longer at an incline and a steady pace. I am sweating, a bit winded at times and definitely wobbly sometimes when I get off – but I can do it and most importantly I AM doing it.

I would love to look in the mirror and see the pounds slipping off my body in waves but I realize it will take time to lose this. It took time to gain it right? I also know that the scales are not always the best way to measure my success either. As I continue to work my muscles harder each time I know I will gain muscle as well. At times my weight may stall out a bit or plateau even but as long as I am continuing to eat healthy, increase and improve my workouts and see better results in my endurance I know I am doing the right thing.

Do you think there is no way you can go to the gym or start exercising? Well – you are wrong. There is ALWAYS an option – you just have to make the choice to DO IT! Surely if this staunch hater of all things athletic and exercise can do it so can YOU!

Encouragement for Single Big Girls Everywhere

2012-01-24T08:45:00.002-06:00

I work out at a co-ed gym and yes, there are a ton of hot muscle bound often shirtless guys there every time I walk in. I’m not there “looking” for a man, nor am I there to be seen so it isn’t a big deal to me anymore what I look like in the gym. I do prefer to at least match (sort of) and not look TOO bad – but eh, if it’s old sweats and a t-shirt so be it. I know we all have seen the perfectly coiffed, made up and manicured girls in the bright and skimpy work out gear at the gym before. You know the ones that look like they are modeling the apparel not actually wearing it for its intended purpose. Mine has its share of those too, and I have a very encouraging story to share about that this week.

Sunday morning I got up early and went to the gym. There were a handful of people there including a few really hot guys lifting weights. I did my usual and got setup on the treadmill for about 45 minutes. During that time a couple of very giggly and very made-up girls came in and got on the treadmills near me. Hair perfectly fixed, nails done, makeup just so and both in what looked like brand new work out gear that showed off their coordinating belly button rings. They were hot – great bodies and nice to look at. I minded my own business and ignored their chatter while I walked.

When my time was up on the treadmill I got off and headed for the machines to do my weight circuit. One of the hot guys was sitting directly across from me on one of the benches working his back and shoulder’s, I do a few reps and realize pretty quickly I need to adjust the weight lower – a bit too heavy still for me. While I have been attempting this first part of my weight regimen, one of those girls gets off her treadmill and plants her cute little booty on the machine right by mine. As I finally decide I’m going to have to get off and adjust the weights – I hear her saying rather loudly that she doesn’t know how to operate it and sure could use some help. I move to adjust my weights and notice the hot muscular shirtless guy across from me get up from his bench and head our direction. My mind immediately thinks – “helping a scantily clad damsel in distress”. Boy was I startled when he leans over me and reaches for the control on MY machine to adjust it.

“Here, let me help you with that.” He says as his slightly sweaty chest rubs against mine while he leans over. (Yes, I realize that totally sounded like a trashy romance novel – but it’s the truth!). He helped me get the weight lowered and showed me a couple of pointers on how to do the movements more smoothly then went back to his routine. It wasn’t long until the other girl in the giggly duo made her appearance nearby and I heard them talking about how this was going to ruin their manicures. I looked across at my “hero” just in time to catch a wink sent my way with a grin and a shake of his head.

I continued through my routine for another half hour and by the time I had finished was truly exhausted physically but energized as well. I grabbed my jacket and keys and headed over to the coffee pot (love that my gym has a Keurig with tons of options of tea, coffee and cocoa all Splenda sweetened) and started a cup brewing. My “hero” walked over and leaned against the counter while I waited. And this was what he said:

“They may be nice to look at, but it’s a lot nicer to see a real woman in here trying to improve herself. You did a great job today. Maybe we can work together sometime.”

Yep – not exactly hitting on me, but I’ll take that as a pretty decent compliment. Big girls – get out there and show those skinny chicks we have what it takes to make it to the gym too. It’s not about how you look while you are doing it – it’s about WHY you are doing it in the first place!

Glade House Party

2012-01-23T17:06:00.000-06:00

Who doesn’t like to come home to wonderful smells lingering in their house? I know I certainly love the instant I open my front door and am greeted by the pleasant smells of dinner cooking…or in this instance, the smell of my new favorite Glade Diffuser Oil – Pineapple & Mangosteen.

I have long been a lover of Glade products – starting way back when I was just a young teenager living with my parents, I loved the Glade plug ins. Especially the tropical fruit scents available. That love of Glade products has carried with me to today where I was privileged enough to get the chance to host a House Party for Glade Products.

Glade is the maker of so many wonderful air freshening scents and products – from the standard plug-in gel product of years gone by to candles, air freshening sprays, the new oil diffusers or the timed air freshener units I already have in most rooms of my house – whatever your need or preference – Glade has a product for you. With a new line of scents available for their specialty room sprays and awesome new bamboo oil diffusers you are sure to find something you love.

When I received my host pack I was thrilled. Not only did I get full sized samples to use for my party – but the new scents were AWESOME! As I already mentioned – I love the Pineapple & Mangosteen the best, second to that is as always the Fuji Apple & Cardamom Spice scent. In my box I found 4 room sprays and two oil diffusers to set up and use in my home for the party. I also received a cute little purple tote bag with Glade on the front (great to toss my gym clothes in and run with), a spiral bound notepad for my purse and of course the great “favors” for my guests. Each person received a Glade Sticky pad, brochure/info booklet with product information as well as decor ideas; they also received a couple for $2.00 off a Glade product and 2 additional coupons to share with their friends.

I enjoyed taking the extra time dusting off the shelves and displaying the new bamboo oil diffusers, setting up a different scent in various parts of my home and allowing others to test out the room sprays themselves so they could get a good idea of their smell preferences. As always, walking into a wonderful smelling home makes everything seem cleaner, neater and more inviting.

Thanks to Glade for the opportunity to be a House Party hostess for their awesome products! Just as I have done for years already – I will continue to not only purchase Glade air freshening products but also recommend to my friends and family.

**I was not monetarily compensated for this review. All thoughts and opinions within are mine alone. I did however receive a prize pack including the above mentioned products in exchange for my honest review on this blog.**

First Day of Nutrisystem Journey

2012-01-22T19:16:00.001-06:00

I have been so looking forward to the beginning of my Nutrisystem journey. I waited impatiently for the last month to see my food arrive and to begin the journey. Yes, impatiently for sure. So much so that I went out and got my gym membership the first week of January to help boost my journey with Nutrisystem to the best I can be. So, needless to say - when the packages began arriving this week I was overjoyed. I actually SQUEALED! I was jumping up and down barely able to contain my enthusiasm as we opened the first boxes and looked at the yummy food within.

Thus today - January 22, 2012 is my first official day on the Nutrisystem Success Program. My morning began with a trip to the gym for a workout. I managed 45 minutes on the treadmill and an additional 30 minutes doing a weight circuit. Let me tell you folks, there is nothing more invigorating than feeling the burn in your body from working it hard. Especially when you manage to beat your own personal best. Oh, and it certainly doesn't hurt that the totally HOT shirtless body builder dude working out across from you gives you an "atta girl" and offers to help adjust your equipment for you when you are struggling (more about that in Tuesdays gym check-in post).

I got home from the gym and ate my first Nutrisystem meal. A truly delicious ham and egg omelet that is part of their fresh frozen meals. Listen - I don't like eggs. Never have, never thought I would, but these - were really good! The ham was smokey and delicious and the creamy cheese sauce in the middle of the omelet was the perfect compliment. At only 90 calories, I was really pleased with the taste, texture and with how filling it was. I topped off my breakfast with a banana and a glass of water and thus began my journey with Nutrisystem Success.

My chicken tacos at lunch were very spicy but yummy and again much more filling than I had expected. I am about to cook some broccoli to go with my dinner this evening and of course plan on keeping you up to date on the good and bad food items I encounter - but if this is any indication of my meals to come, I am going to love every second of the Nutrisystem journey!

As you can see in the pictures above, the boxes of food were bigger than my 4 year old! And - he has been dying to try out some of mommies special food. :) I'm so lucky to have such awesome support from my family in this journey!

Here is a brief video of me trying out my first Nutrisystem meal this morning. I thought you might like to see rather than just read my reaction to the foods I am eating! Forgive the lack of makeup and icky appearance - I had literally just finished my workout for the day.

Thanks to Nutrisystem for including me in this awesome opportunity! Are you overweight and need a boost of help to drop a few or a lot of extra pounds? Check out Nutrisystem today! Or call them at 1-888-853-4689!

Zeiss Educational Tools for Better Vision

2012-01-20T09:54:00.000-06:00

I have been an eyeglass or contact lens wearer since I was 12 years old. Over the years I have went to 4 different eye care practitioners. The first one I went to - I loved right away (great attitude/bedside manner), but found that he sped through the exam and left me wondering if I had gotten the right prescription or not. As the years progressed, I finally found one that I liked who took the time I needed to find the right prescription, frame and lens. But I am sure there are others out there that don't know how to ask the right questions to be taken care of when they go for their eye exam.

Zeiss Educational Tools is a great place to start to learn what you need to know to get the best eye care possible. From simple items like the difference between an Optometrist and an Ophthalmologist to the complicated issues of vision problems that come with age - Zeiss has included great information in an easy to read format.

I wish this company had been around with more information when I was a teenager floundering with my first pair of glasses and first set of contact lenses. Check out Zeiss before your next visit to an eye care practitioner for more information and tools to assist in choosing the right doctor as well as the right lenses for you.

**All thoughts and opinions within this post are mine alone. I was compensated for this post by Zeiss.**

Have You Ever Hated Anyone?

2012-01-20T09:35:00.000-06:00

Have you ever hated someone? Seriously – all joking aside- have you ever been so extremely hurt by somebody that you couldn’t feel anything but hatred toward them?

It’s not a pretty thought, but I know that I have. I know that a couple of years ago when I first started muddling through the process of divorce I clung to hope that my marriage could be fixed…then I started in that dreadful rut of hatred. I was so angry over so many things that happened between my husband and I and then so many things that happened because of him..the divorce…choices made over the last year of our marriage. I came to a point when I had been hurt beyond what I could handle and I had put up with more than I could handle. Unfortunately – we both acted stupid. I was angry, jealous, hurt, etc. etc. etc. And he was angry, jealous, hurt, etc. etc. etc. Yes – it’s sad – but emotions played a huge part in how our marriage ended and how we treated each other after the divorce.

Fast forward a few days in court, a restraining order and nearly eighteen months later and I was once again sitting next to my ex-husband. We had business to attend to because of our son together and we had managed that just fine. We were civil, friendly almost. And then he said something I will never forget. “I’m glad we got to talk. You don’t hate me anymore."

I spouted off that I had never hated him, and he looked me in the eye and said, “yes, you did”. It saddens me to admit – but yes, he was right. For a while there about a year ago, I hated him. I hated everything about him because of how it had affected me. I lost sight of the man I had fallen in love with some years before and why I had and all I could see were the things I didn’t like about him – and in those brutal months following our divorce – they were elevated to a level that became the stepping stone on which my hatred toward him was built.

I was right to be hurt and angry and mad about many things – but I had no right to dwell and hate him. None of us truly have the right to hate another human being. And, in so many ways – we don’t know what anyone else has or is going through internally. Even if we are close to them – married to them – in love with them – a parent to them – a sibling to them or even their “best friend forever”. Although there are a lot of actions that are wrong to do – we can’t know why someone chooses to do them without asking – and all too often we jump to conclusions or form our own opinions without taking in to account what the other person is really going through internally.

In regards to my marriage – we are both guilty of bringing it to an end. And we both accept and know now that if we had done things differently from the beginning we would have saved ourselves and each other a world of hurt. The past is the past and we are choosing to leave it there. I just wish I could say that I had never hated the man.

Actions hurt. Words hurt. People can destroy each others lives. It’s time the hatred stops. I choose to let it go.

Real Marriage: The Truth About Sex, Friendship & Life Together - Book Review

2012-01-18T16:55:00.000-06:00

I may not currently be married, but I have been – and in a serious committed relationship as I am, I thought this book would be a good choice to read, review and discover a few insights about how to make things better. When Thomas Nelson Book Sneeze Review program had this book available I was glad to give it a thorough going over and a proper review.

Real Marriage: The Truth About Sex, Friendship & Life Together by Mark and Grace Driscoll is yet another book out there about how to make the most of your marriage relationship. As has become typical in marriage books, this one is setup in some ways as a “his” and “hers” guide. This is mostly due to the fact that the authors (who are married) share their viewpoints separately in many cases. The book is easy to read and well written (always a thumbs up in my book if I don’t find it boring or tedious to get through). Mark Driscoll is a well-known pastor and author who counseled couples for many years regarding the very problems listed in this book. His wife Grace joins him in this endeavor sharing her own opinions, views and personal struggles within their marriage. I appreciate the honesty and the forthrightness they both showed in opening up about things they had problems with that most in leadership positions would shy away from having public.

The book covers topics such as making your spouse your friend, adjusting to life together and dealing with past sexual relationships and how they affect your current marriage/relationship. The standards set in this book are truly high and super conservative. Although I agree with suggestions and thoughts for the most part, I do know that this book could be a bit over the top on the conservative in some instances. Yet, surprisingly – I found the chapters on sexuality within the marriage to be very open – honest and much more liberal than expected (actually along the line of my own views). There was much talk of being open with your spouse about ALL past sexual relationships/instances/experiences, and although I understand and agree that you should be open, I also feel some things are best left unsaid. I was impressed with how well the Driscoll’s addressed what could be considered some of the trickier sexual topics such as oral sex, anal sex and role play. Things that in mainstream society are not “tricky” but the norm, yet in Christian circles could/can/are still considered taboo.

Do I think this book is a cure to your marriage problems? Not at all. I do think it is a good read for someone thinking of getting married and a good book for newly married young Christians. Most of the items discussed within the pages are things I felt were more or less common sense questions/issues, but the suggestions within could be helpful to someone who is new to a marriage or serious relationship. I don’t find that it would be particularly helpful to those who have married for longer periods of time – most of the things discussed are items I feel most couples would understand or learn within the first couple of years of their marriage. So couples who have been married longer have probably already gotten past these hurdles.

Overall, it’s a decent book on marriage and I give it 3 ½ stars. It’s easy to read and well written but I don’t find anything in it that just “pops” and makes me think – “oh I want to suggest this to such and such!”.

**Thanks as always to Thomas Nelson Book Sneeze Review program for the opportunity to review this book. I was not monetarily compensated for this review. I received the book mentioned above in exchange for my honest review on this blog.

Alzheimer's and Routine

2012-01-18T08:45:00.002-06:00

I haven’t written much the last few weeks about my dealings with Alzheimer’s and Dementia. Yes, I am still here every day caring for my grandparents, but I have also had a few other things happening that I wanted to share here and thus my thoughts on my care giving job have taken a bit of a back burner.

Over the last four months we have developed a routine. Thankfully, my Granny has adjusted to me being here daily and no longer fusses about it. But the struggles are still here. It’s still difficult some days to get things done around the house (simple cooking or cleaning) without upsetting her. I have in many ways come in and taken over her home – not out of meanness or because of any slight against her, but out of need. Yet, in her mind, as much as she is glad to have the help some days other days she resents the help and works herself to death trying to “do” before I get to it.

I have a set routine each day of what I do. I’m perhaps a bit anal about my schedule. I have been that way for years – I like to get up and do the same things around the same times and on the same days. My sons as babies and toddlers did great as long as we stuck to the schedule of feeding/naps, etc. but varying from that often caused a few tantrums. Well, I have found in this care giving situation that it is much the same. As long as I arrive within a certain time frame and leave within a certain time frame, it seems that my Granny can tolerate/handle having us here without a problem. The days I happen to run late she is more flustered when we arrive and if I should stay even a half hour later than the norm, she starts pushing for us to leave and begins getting agitated. Sticking to the routine keeps us all much happier.

Similarly, when it is just my youngest (4 yr old) and I here with them during the day she does fairly good about letting me cook, clean, pickup, tend to my grandpa, etc. But throw a kink in that and add my oldest (8 yr old) into the mix and she starts fighting me doing anything. It’s as if she feels the need to handle things herself when he is here. Things I always handle now (such as meal prep or doing dishes) she will push herself right into the kitchen and start scurrying around in a hurry to do – whether it needs doing or not. Anything outside the normal routine really upsets how she handles the situation.

I have been reading about Alzheimer’s and Dementia patients and found that I’m definitely not the only one who has experienced this. Routines help tremendously. Not only in keeping their minds active and familiar with surroundings but also in keeping the emotional side of the disease from running rampant. The aides and nurses that come in weekly don’t bother her now like they did in the beginning, but when a different or new one shows up – there is an obvious resentment toward them. They are interfering in what she has done for so many years all by herself. It’s her territory and her job to care for my grandpa and their home. Anyone who steps in to do any of those things offends her. Part of this is a natural emotional response any of us would have, but the lack of ability to control the response is a direct result of the disease.

Right now, we are doing fairly well overall. Some days she seems to not know if she is coming or going. Some days we repeat the same things a few dozen times before she lets go and moves on to something else. Other days she merely sleeps the morning away and seems to not really know that we are even there. And yet, there are days when I arrive and my Granny is there. The woman I grew up with. The one whose mind is clear and normal and the way I am so use to it being. The Granny all too often, we miss. I hate how I have seen it progress in such a short time and I hate the thought of the year(s) to come, but I love my Granny – I will be here. I will care. I will forgive. I will overlook. I will do my best to make it easier, more comfortable and less painful for her.

Because…very simply…if the shoe was on the other foot – I know she would do the same and much more for me.

Week 2 In The Gym: How Much Have I Lost?

2012-01-17T21:13:00.000-06:00

It has officially been two weeks since I first entered the gym and started working out again. In two weeks’ time I have managed the following:

Lose 9.1 pounds
Increase the incline and speed on the treadmill to twice what my original snails’ pace was
My fat jeans are now loose but still not really in a smaller size
Learned that my back and shoulders are a lot stronger than I ever imagined (the last 4 months of lifting my grandpa every day have made a difference in my strength)
Slept better. Felt better. Had more energy.

I have so far to go in this battle – but for the first time in a long time I weigh less than 220 pounds. That is a feat that I am very proud of. I enjoy my time in the gym. The 30-45 minutes on the treadmill go by way quicker than I anticipated and my prayer life is much better these days. Tuning out the world and just walking is a great way to devote more time to talking to Jesus about life, love and all those other mysteries. Although I still can’t lift as much weight as I would like, I am building up endurance and am proud to know that I am truly in better shape than I thought I would be when I started this.

I still have roughly 60 pounds to my ultimate goal and another 35 to reach the goal of losing 45 pounds before my ex-husband does but I am well on my way to those goals. With school starting back this week, I know my schedule will be even harder to keep up with and I will have to be more dedicated than ever to getting in the gym every day – but I am determined to do it.

There is something about setting your mind to a goal…you tend to be more dedicated and focused. I know this time, I certainly am. The motivation of continuing to feel so much better is one thing, then there is the thought of one upping my ex-husband in a contest that definitely motivates me, and of course there is the thought of being able to go shopping in Dallas on Spring Break this year that thrills me! I have a lot of reasons to be dedicated and motivated and I am not going to lose my focus!

What has gotten you back in the gym or just “to” the gym this year? What is your focus? What is your goal? What is your greatest motivator?

2nd Semester in College - How'd that happen?

2012-01-16T21:04:00.000-06:00

This week is the beginning of my second semester as a college student. After waiting over ten years out of high school to begin my college career, I was really pleasantly surprised with the ease of the classes I took and how I was able to juggle them along with everything else happening in my life this past year.

I am really excited about this semester. Not only will I continue with a couple of my general educations classes required but I will be taking on more in depth courses in my field of study – Computer Science. I am excited about the chance to learn more about something I enjoy and love and to be that much closer to earning my degree. I eventually do want to have a Master’s in Computer Science, but to be able to say I will graduate in 2013 with an Associate of Science in Computer Science is something I am thrilled to say. I know it will be hard work and the coming months will surely push me to my limits, but it’s so very much worth it to me. I want to be successful. My education is part of that success.

How do people juggle so much stuff though? Seriously – I am hyperventilating right now thinking about what all I have to do in the coming days and weeks. I will be working at 6am every morning, taking care of my grandparents in the later morning and afternoons, going to campus on Tuesdays and Thursdays for my night class, hitting the gym for 1-2 hours 5 days a week and taking 4 other classes online that will be much more difficult this semester than the last. Somewhere in there I have to fit in time to keep my house clean, meals made for my son and boyfriend, time with my son and boyfriend and to continue writing my next novel and begin the tedious process of seeking an agent for my current completed first novel.

I feel some 5 hour energy and a few Diet Red Bulls will be in my future a lot from now until May of this year – but you know what? I am excited about it. Stressed? Sure. Worried? You Bet! But mostly – I am excited and feel totally blessed to have an opportunity like this to change my life for the better.

Battle of the Ex's - Weight Loss Style

2012-01-12T08:15:00.003-06:00

I am officially working my way toward a mean, lean, sexy body!!! I started last week hitting the gym and working out and my box of yummy Nutrisystem foods is on it's way to me now! With the help of the great team at Nutrisystem and the encouragement of my family, I hope to meet my goal of losing at least 40 pounds over the next 4 months.

When I talked to my ex husband about this over the past couple of weeks, he made comments about getting back in the gym himself and losing the extra 45 pounds he had put on over the last year. Well, last night - the "Battle of the Ex's" began. He renewed his gym membership and started working out again. Bets have been made - hands have been shaken - the BATTLE IS ON!

Nutrisystem has given me 4 months of their Success program (food and support) in exchange for my documentation here on my blog of my journey using their products. I am totally excited about this opportunity and cannot wait to get started with their meal plan and accountability!

After I found out I would be getting this opportunity to be a part of the Nutrisystem Nation Blogger Program, I knew I better do my best to also get in better shape physically by working out - that's when the gym membership came into play.

Forgive the quality of the pictures. It's tough to get somebody to take a before picture of you - so I resorted to my cell phone! Lol!

What do you think? Do you think that I will lose more and beat my ex husband with Nutrisystem on my side?

Weigh in here with your opinions, ideas and suggestions!

Jooniebeads Etsy Jewelry Shop Review and GIVEAWAY!!!

2012-01-11T17:42:00.000-06:00

I am SO totally excited to do this review and host a giveaway! This will be my first Etsy shop and first jewelry review and giveaway ever! I can’t tell you how excited I am about it!

First – let me say that Amy over at Jooniebeads is AWESOME! Super Sweet, great artist and excellent communication throughout this process – I know if you choose to hit up her shop and purchase something from her you will be just as pleased as I have been!

Secondly – OH MY SOUL CUTE!!! She has a small little etsy shop with super cute, simple and creative pieces of jewelry that are totally “in” right now and are a perfect touch to your wardrobe. Trust me – if you want a unique yet simple and elegant piece of jewelry to accent an ensemble or give as a special gift – Jooniebeads is the place to start!

I chose a simple pair of Antiqued Gold Owl Earrings and couldn’t have been more impressed with the great shipping, cute box they came in and the beauty of the earrings. They aren’t so big that they hurt to wear, but they aren’t tiny and unnoticeable. I love the vintage, antiqued look about them and the fact that they are a unique piece that will be a conversation starter for sure. Paired with a simple updo and a flirty blouse – they totally “pop” and pull together a simple and sexy look! I LOVED how they made me feel pulled together this past weekend when we went out!

Amy at Jooniebeads has graciously given one of You Brew My Tea’s readers the chance to win a $26 gift certificate to her shop so you can do some shopping of your own!

As I ask with all giveaways, if you do not have a Google profile – your email in each comment/entry is mandatory. If you have a Google Profile, please make sure that your email is open and visible for contact should you win. Each entry requires a separate comment. If the action is worth 3 entries – then you should leave 3 separate comments. Thanks so much for your cooperation and good luck!

GIVEAWAY ENDS

January 17^th at Midnight

Mandatory Entry

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The Circle Maker - A Book Review

2012-01-11T08:45:00.002-06:00

I love the opportunity to review books of all genres that I get from being a Blogger. My library has increased drastically over the last couple of years and is now full of quality books in every genre you can imagine. Most often I review fictional works (I especially love suspense/fantasy/sci-fi types), but at least once every few months I get a book in the mail that is a bit more serious in the non-fiction field.

The Circle Maker: Praying Circles Around Your Biggest Dreams and Greatest Fears by Mark Batterson is an inspiring book to help remind and show you that no prayer is too small or too simple to be heard. Using the story of Honi of Biblical days who was known as the Circle Maker because of his trust in God during a time of drought, Mark Batterson weaves a tale that reminds us of our need to trust and place our faith totally in the God who has given us the rain. His miracles haven’t stopped appearing – we have stopped seeing them.

Similar to the books by Wilkinson of some ten years ago about the Prayer of Jabez, Batterson has chosen simple scripture and a simple story of a man of faith to lead us into stronger and more powerful prayer life. By figuratively and literally circling your life in prayer Batterson leads you to believe you can accomplish more and be blessed more.

Although I appreciate this book and the thought behind it, I feel there are some things within that could mislead floundering believers (and perhaps non-believers). A promise of “if you do this God will do that” can be taken to extremes. Although the authors intentions in writing this book are noble, I always have a hard time with the “word of faith” mentality that tends to support things of this nature. A “If I have enough faith or do certain things in the perfect order then God will give me everything I want” mentality is dangerous and can often lead to grief and heartache to the weak of heart and mind.

The book is well written and easy to read. For the most part I agree with the thoughts behind Mr. Battersons book but it is not something I will be recommending to many. I feel that too many people are susceptible to the idea of doing something specific and bargaining with God to have their desires come true/happen. As much as I am advocate of prayer and yes – praying circles around my family, life, jobs, etc. I think it should have a disclaimer that states God answers prayers as he sees fit – not according to what WE do.

I suppose how someone views this book has a lot to do with their own personal theology and beliefs regarding prayer and what our faith really does to change God’s will/plan in our lives. I give it 3 stars for content and ease of reading.

**I was not monetarily compensated for the review of this book. I received the book from Zondervan itself in exchange for my complete and honest review on this blog. All thoughts and opinions expressed above are mine alone.**

Week One In The Gym: Results

2012-01-10T15:36:00.000-06:00

One week down at the gym and I have lost 3.7 pounds already! I weighed in this morning at 225.7 - higher than I wanted, but still a loss and I am happy with that! And that is without changing my eating habits at all! Yes indeed this weight loss thing can be done and I can conquer it! I can’t wait to officially start with Nutrisystem and be able to tell an even bigger difference.

Things I’ve learned:

Getting your foot in the door is the hardest part
Never underestimate how many times you have to use the squatting motion on a daily basis. After a hard leg workout I discovered how often I make those moves every day because it hurt so badly when I had to!
Being skinny doesn’t automatically mean you are healthy or in good shape. I managed 45 minutes on the treadmill going at a pretty steady rate with little to no problems while the very thin and athletic looking woman on the treadmill next to me was huffing and puffy trying to keep up at half my rate.
Exercise really does give you a LOT more energy, helps you sleep better and helps your digestive tract. All noticeable after only the first couple of days in routine exercise.
Making an effort to get healthy is SEXY
Working out these days doesn't involve spandex body stockings and Jane Fonda anymore!

Although it was embarrassing in many ways the first few times I walked in that door my attitude about the entire experience has changed drastically. It’s not just “health nuts” in the gym working out. It’s not a place only made for those who are already in good shape either. I love the fact that my gym has so many lower impact/easier things I can do until I build endurance. And the bonus of super supportive staff is HUGE! There are tons of gyms out there to choose from – co-ed gyms, national chains (like Anytime Fitness where I work out) or even small gyms for women only – find one that works for you. And the gym is not the only answer. Don’t think you have to go to the gym - most of what I am doing in that building can easily be done at home or in my own neighborhood. My time on the treadmill could be done in my home with a Walk Away the Pounds DVD or on a treadmill of my own or even just by power walking the neighborhood I live in. Free weights in lower sizes (3, 5, 8, 10, 15 pound) can easily be picked up at Walmart for just a few dollars each. You CAN make it happen – no matter what your budget or situation is.

I will never be an exercise nut. I will never be a woman who wants to be in the gym more than she wants time at home with her family. But I will say that for me – in this instant – having the opportunity to work out like I am – has been the motivation I needed to get focused and stay on track! WE can do this! All the men and women who want to get healthy (not skinny – just healthy)! We can join together and support each other in our endeavors and we CAN be successful!

How to get over being the Fat Girl in the gym

2012-01-08T12:52:00.000-06:00

Since last Tuesday I have managed three evenings in the gym. Some time on the treadmill, some time doing the weight circuits and one evening of squats, lunges working with the weighted balls and on the mat doing an over the top ab routine. Right now - I am sore, tired and dreading the workout I am going to put myself through tonight. Yet, at the same time - I can't wait!

I NEVER thought I would be excited about hitting the gym - but I totally am. I haven't felt this good in a long time. Seriously - what they say about exercise giving you energy and making you feel good is totally true. Even the first night, as sore as I was I came home with energy and excitement I haven't had in ages.

I admit though - one of the toughest things for me was getting over the fact that I am the "fat girl in the gym".

You know how it is - you walk into the gym and all around you are these cute little girls who weigh 115 pounds at the most and wearing nothing but a sports bra and some kind of spandex on their tight little rear ends. Then you glance the other direction and all you see are rows of muscles rippling and glistening on ripped bodies of men the likes of which you've only seen on the big screen or in magazines before. Your first look in the mirror you see the ratty sweatpants and over sized t-shirt you pulled from the back of the closet. You notice the big stain across your right boob that you had forgotten came from the last time you made spaghetti sauce. Oops - there was a good reason this tee had gotten tossed in the back of the closet! You, as any normal woman would, compare yourself to all the others around you jogging on the treadmills like it's no sweat at all and immediately want to turn around, walk out the door and across the street to Sonic for a Chili Cheese Coney, large Tater Tot with Cheese and a Cherry Vanilla Dr. Pepper.

That's where will power steps in. That and the ability to look at yourself and realize what each of those rolls of fat or curves mean. You've spent years in depression and fed yourself instead of medicating yourself? Or perhaps you've had one, two, three or seven babies and the yo-yo of pregnancy has taken it's toll on you? Maybe it simply has been 5 pounds a year since you graduated high school that crept up into an extra 50 pounds that your butt, hips and thighs share? It doesn't really matter why you are overweight - what matters is that you made the move and walked through that door - don't back out now.

I found out by the end of the first night - that it really doesn't matter how much I weigh - I'm not the fat girl in the gym - I'm a GIRL in the GYM.

I'm there to get healthy - to lose weight - to make myself a better person. If the other people around me don't like how I look, or if my ensemble isn't the most popular in the fashion magazines these days it really doesn't matter. All that matters is what I'm doing for myself - not what others think of me.

Now - if you have the budget and can - there are tons of really cute yoga pants, capri's and shorts out there in the workout gear sections that are made larger for plus sized women. Sports bras can be difficult to find (trust me -with these knockers - I have definitely learned the hard way). But, I do what I like to call the triple bra. I wear a regular bra, and two of the spandex tank style sports shirts that has a built in shelf bra over it with a baggy shirt on top of that. Yeah, it's a lot of layers and can get toasty - but considering the heft of my breasts, I need the extra support this layering offers. You CAN look cute while working out and yes, it does make a big difference in how you feel about yourself.

Oh, and attitude - well your attitude does a lot for things! Walk into the gym like you belong there. Because you DO! You paid your membership fees just like everyone else did. You deserve to be there and you should relax and enjoy it the best you can while you have the chance!

So, this week - do what I did last week - walk into that gym and own it! Don't think of yourself as a fat girl in the gym - but a girl who wants to get healthy in the gym. If I can do it - YOU can do it!

Boundless Nutrition Review and Giveaway

2012-01-06T06:56:00.000-06:00

This review and giveaway is very timely for my current weight loss and health goals for the year. Although my food will be provided by Nutrisystem, there will be times when I will want or need a snack or meal replacement when I can’t get to my provided foods. I have always carried some sort of cracker or granola bar in my bag or car just in case. You never know when you might get stuck waiting for longer than expected somewhere and end up being hungry! Boundless Nutrition has a great solution for this that provides not only a tasty snack, but extra protein, fish oil and green tea.

The Oatmega3 Wellness Bar is a quality protein bar/meal replacement with the added benefits of 300mg of DHA and EPA Omega-3 in each bar, the equivalent of 3 cups worth of decaffeinated green tea plus organic dark chocolate for added antioxidants and an excellent source of fiber and calcium with 5 grams of prebiotic fiber and 25% RDI of calcium that helps you stay full longer! Boundless Nutrition uses 100% ALL NATURAL INGREDIENTS and they verify that their ingredients are non-genetically modified. Their high quality whey protein is truly in the highest standards out there – sourced from high quality milk that contains no antibiotics or growth hormones. Due to the high quality of the Oatmega3Wellness Bar, Boundless Nutrition is able to promote their products to those who have special diet needs as well. They are organic, gluten-free and low in sugar. Their overall fat content is moderate and derived only from the protein not from added sugars and fats.

They also offer the Perfect Fit Protein Cookie as an alternative to the more traditional protein bars. The Perfect Fit Protein Cookie is just that – a traditional cookie just like your mom would bake – except it has all the added benefits listed above that you find in the Oatmega3 Wellness Bar!

I received a sample box that included 4 of the Oatmega3 Wellness Bar’s and 3 Perfect Fit Protein Cookies:

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmega3 Wellness Bar

Mocha Oatmega3 Wellness Bar

Dark Chocolate Mint Oatmega3 Wellness Bar

Blueberry Pomegranate Crunch Oatmega3 Wellness Bar

Chocolate Chip Perfect Fit Protein Cookie

Peanut Butter Perfect Fit Protein Cookie

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Perfect Fit Protein Cookie

My first taste test was with the Mocha flavored bar. First reaction: tastes like chocolate covered cherries. I know – there is no “cherry” in the name, but to me it tasted just like those cheap chocolate covered cherries taste – and since we had a box from a Christmas basket sitting there – I popped one in my mouth and sure enough – VERY close in taste. Don’t know if that was what they were going for, but it is the taste it had. Otherwise, yes a very typical protein bar flavor and a bit on the grainy side. Was it something I could sit down and easily eat the whole bar? No – honestly it wasn’t. In fact, I barely ate a few bites of it. This was my least favorite flavor overall – the combination of graininess, the protein bar flavor in the background and that strange “cherry” undertone made it a hard one to swallow for both me and my boyfriend.

My boyfriend helped with the Perfect Fit Protein Cookie tasting after that but kindly declined the option of sharing any further protein bars with me. Thanks Larry for being a good sport anyway!

The Blueberry Pomegranate crunch bar was more like a granola bar type protein bar to me. Although I don’t care much for the blueberry/pomegranate combo that seems to be popular these days, it was significantly easier to eat than the other bars. Texture and flavor were decent. The Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter had a nice peanut butter taste but a bit underwhelming. The Dark Chocolate Mint was probably the best flavor overall – but due to the mint aspect – still not a bar I could eat all of in one setting.

The Perfect Fit Protein Cookies were indeed easier to eat than the Oatmega3 Protein Bars. They too still had that “protein bar flavor” that you can’t seem to avoid in this genre of health foods – but it was much more tolerable. The cookies were cooked to a nice tenderness – not underdone but not overcooked. Actually, they were rather in line with what I consider the perfect “doneness” for a cookie. Of the three I received I think the peanut butter had the most traditional cookie flavor. These are definitely much easier to eat and more pleasing taste wise to the novice protein bar consumer.

Overall, the Oatmega3 Wellness Bars and Perfect Fit Protein Cookies are good quality and nice sized for the calorie and fat content in them. They are satisfying as a snack or meal replacement – but as a caution to those not familiar with the protein bar world – the flavor is definitely not like a regular meal replacement bar, candy bar or granola bar. It DOES take some getting used to.

The company is located near Austin, Texas and has gained much popularity with one of the larger grocery store chains in Texas as well as a popular presence in Central Market and Whole Foods grocery stores. You can order online at their website www.boundlessnutrition.com or via Amazon.com.

NOW – that I gave my rather verbose review – on to the best part for YOU my readers!!! Boundless Nutrition has offered one of You Brew My Tea’s readers the chance to win one box of 12 bars or 12 cookies! Yay!

**As there have been problems in the past with not being able to locate/contact winner due to lack of email listed in their profile (or no profile) I do require that a valid contact email be listed in each comment. If you have a Google Profile that shows your email as public, I will accept that – but please verify prior to leaving comment so as not to take a chance in losing out on winning. Each entry requires a separate comment. If an action is worth 3 entries, it requires 3 separate comments. Thanks for your understanding and patience! I hope to switch to Rafflecopter soon! **

Giveaway Ends

January 12^th at Midnight

Mandatory Entry

As per request of Boundless Nutrition – this counts as 1 entry

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Wayward Son - Book Review

2012-01-04T16:57:00.001-06:00

Updated: I wrote this post right before the Christmas holidays and as I was preparing to not have much time online, I thought I had scheduled it to post on December 22^nd. Unfortunately, it slipped through the cracks and I just now noticed it had never posted. My apologies go out to the authors for the delay in posting my review for this book. Thank you for your understanding and patience.

Wayward Son by Tom Pollack was sent to me via Glass Road Blogger to review on this blog. The idea of a modern day yet historic book intrigued me. This book is full of the rich history of the Bible and Chinese, Egyptian, Grecian and Roman Empire as well as the intrigue of an exciting storyline and mysterious elements. Tom Pollock and his co-authors wove a lengthy yet easy to read tale that I truly enjoyed reading.

This book follows Amanda James as she uncovers long hidden secrets thought buried by government and church officials. There is suspense, there is mystery, there is fear and there is a wonderful historical account of events that did happen (and could have happened) in Biblical times.

I found the book to be well written, historically and Biblically accurate and truly a SMASHING hit in my mind’s eye. I am always a sucker for stories that weave things from Biblical history into a more personal tale. I realize that the Bible is full of “personal” accounts of many people’s lives but the lack of “fleshing out” of the stories in those accounts leaves me always wondering what might have happened before, after or behind the scenes. By writing a story that includes those Biblical accounts and adds to them with a creative story such as this book – the authors caught my attention immediately. This book is not an overnight read or a quick read for most (I did finish it over the course of a few nights). It is a lengthy book full of detail but it is excellently written and definitely an easy read. Although it will take time to read because of the sheer length of the book, it is in no way a hard to read or difficult to “get into” book.

Overall – I give this book 4 stars. The length of the book could be a deterrent to some readers as well as the in depth accounts. I personally enjoy the fine details but realize many people prefer a less detail and more fluff account of scenarios. I was really impressed with the authors ease in joining a historical account with a modern day atmosphere. Love! Love! Love! That in a good Christian Fiction book! This is on my list of awesome buys for Christmas for sure!

Thanks to Glass Road Bloggers for giving me the opportunity to review this book.

My Goal Weight for 2012

2012-01-04T11:15:00.002-06:00

Yesterday I introduced myself to the fitness world. Today I will open up and share my beginning weight and my fitness goals to the world.

Let’s start with the easy stuff. Lol. You can’t blame a fat girl for hesitating when it comes to sharing her horrid weight with the world.

Health Changes: I say simply I want to be fit. I want my blood pressure to be normal. I want my blood sugar to be normal. I want my hormones to be more level at that time of the month and for my stomach to not get upset so easily from the poor food choices I am making. I want my resting pulse and active pulse to be well within normal ranges. But also – I want to be able to walk to the mailbox and back at my grandparents’ house and not get winded. I want to be able to do physical activities and not be embarrassed by the fact that I can’t run around the diamond at the softball field without feeling like I’m going to pass out.

Changes in my body: I carry the bulk of my excess weight in my stomach and chest. I want to work on losing the muffin top and the “gut” I carry around. A lot of that will have to come strictly from changes in my diet and cardio – but I’d also like to work on strengthening my abs and back. I have a very large chest and I realize that I will lose some of the bulk in my breasts with diet/exercise, but from past experience – it won’t be a significant amount. I want to strengthen my core to better support my breasts. (Less back, neck and shoulder pain). I hope to tone my arms as well (ugh hate hate hate the mommy flab I’ve had since I was oh…13!). I plan on doing work on my legs and butt as well – I know I’ll never be an “apple bottom girl” but at least I can work on this flat booty having a bit more shape and toning after I lose the layer of fat over .

I don’t want to be skinny. I want to be healthier and I want to have some more toned and nicer curves on my body – not the rolls of fat I currently sport. I want to be able to shop in the regular clothes section instead of the plus sized section. I want to be the “hot young thang” that my man deserves to have. And yes, lol, I wanna be a hot mom too!

So – today’s weight: 229 pounds

My goal weight: 160 pounds

Weight loss goal: 69 pounds

I know that with the right amount of work and diet – I can realistically lose 40-50 pounds of this goal within the 4 month time frame I have with Nutrisystem. I am determined. Please come back and cheer me on!

The Beginning of the Journey

2012-01-03T16:11:00.000-06:00

This year – 2012 – I will turn 30 years old. I have two wonderful sons, a great boyfriend, a home I love, and a great family to support me. I have forgiven a lot in the last year and I found that I too had been forgiven of a lot. I’ve accepted my shortcomings and sins and failures head on and have actively worked toward making amends and bettering myself. I am paying back what I owe and I started pursuing not only my college education (going awesome by the way) but also my long time desire to become published. Not only have I completed my first novel, but I am actively working toward getting it out there for agents and hopefully the public to read. I am proud of what I have done with my life in the last year – but still – I had this huge burden that needed to be taken care of.

I posted about it last week, and I am here once again to talk about the steps I have taken to fix it. One of my biggest burdens in life is literally my own self – physically. I am morbidly obese. I have been for far too long and I have yo yo’d up and down the majority of my life. I have had friends and family say, “you need to lose weight, but you aren’t obese”. They are wrong. Medically – in all the ways that are important – I am not only obese but MORBIDLY obese. Do you realize what that term even means? It means that my weight is not just a threat to my health – but truly to my mortality. My weight could kill me today just as easily as a drunk driver hitting me could. My lack of exercise and lack of control in my eating habits has made me my own killer. If I died tomorrow they could easily try to say I died of natural causes – but reality is – the headline should/could read: “29 year old local woman found dead of suicide by laziness and gluttony.”

Between the proposition from Nutrisystem to participate in their Blogger Nation program and my own severe desire to see myself thinner – but mostly in better physical shape before I turned 30 – I have set my mind on the goal and plan on reaching it. I am about to bear my soul before the world. I will post my weight and before pictures that are terribly unflattering for the entire world to see. It’s the web folks –it never truly disappears. I am prepared to be held accountable. I am prepared to work hard and hurt badly in the weeks to come. I am prepared to be hungry and unsatisfied sometimes for the good of my health – my life – my children and my family.

My Nutrisystem program will not begin until next week – but my exercise regimen began today. I walked into the local Anytime Fitness and signed my name to the sheet that said I would commit to changing my health via exercise. I took a tour of the gym, spoke with the management and a couple of the personal trainers available and talked about my goals for the next 4 months. I loved the fact that the staff was understanding and supportive – but seem to be firm enough that if I am under their care – they won’t let me be lazy. I will be pushed and encouraged and taught.

I am terribly out of shape. So much so that simply walking up the one flight of stairs at school twice a week leaves me winded, embarrassingly so at times. I want to do this right. I want to start slow and build up endurance. I want to be careful to prevent injury and to push myself every time to make sure I’m not taking the easy route. I want to lose pounds of fat and gain muscle. I don’t want to be skinny. I don’t want to be muscular. I want to be fit. I want to look good in (and out) of clothes.

I can do this. Tomorrow – I will post pictures and my initial weigh in. As well as what we have chosen as a reasonable goal for my 4 month regimen.

Happy New Year!

2011-12-31T12:10:00.001-06:00

I don't typically post on holidays - and although tomorrow is the holiday - today is often almost a holiday to those who do the New Year's Eve Party thing. I personally will be spending time with some of my extended family tonight with a small "party" at their home. Kid friendly - lots of food and games and laughs. I'm sure there are many others out doing the same thing tonight - or perhaps just staying in and heading to bed early.

2010 was overall the toughest year of my life = 2011 started out rocky but has ended great and looking toward 2012 I am excited to know that it will indeed be a better year for me and the ones that I love. My life has settled into a routine of normalcy that I had longed for for many years. I am loved. I am in love. I am forgiven. I have forgiven. I am going to school, caring for my grandparents, growing as a mother, lover, daughter, sister and friend. I am happy for all the good things that have come to me in the past year and I am really looking forward to some of the extra special things to come in the year 2012.

Leaving this year with a final post and wishing everyone around me the chance to feel what I do in this moment - that I have come HOME.

Granola on your Yogurt? The best: Nature's Hand Granola Review!

2011-12-30T20:26:00.000-06:00

Have you ever picked up a box of granola in the grocery store and wondered if it would taste yummy and sweet or more like cardboard? I know I sure have. Several mainstream granola brands are ever so popular but always leave me with a bad taste in my mouth – figuratively and literally.

Yogurt, fruit and granola use to be one of the staple combos at house for breakfast. Especially when I was trying to eat healthier and drop a few pounds granola was just the right amount of filler in my breakfast to satisfy me until lunchtime. I hated grabbing a box of granola and sprinkling over my yogurt only to find I could have sprinkled raw oats and got the same texture and taste. Equally disappointing is finding a brand of yogurt that tastes great but costs me an arm and a leg to buy.

I was excited to have the chance to review Nature’s Hand Granola from Nature’s American Co. This 40 year old company has recently revamped their granola and released an Enhanced Product in bright new packaging. To help promote this product, I was given a chance to review 2 full sized packages of their truly AWESOME new line of granola.

Flavors Available:French Vanilla Almond, Cranberry Delight, Wild Blueberry, Raisin Hazelnut,Cinnamon Apple and Maple Pecan.

Every batch is made with “roasted oats and wheat, tasty nuts and seeds and delicately sweetened with caramelized brown sugar and honey. Nature’s Hand uses only premium all-natural ingredients like soy oil, which is full of fiber, protein and antioxidants. The brand is low in sugar and contains no artificial colors or flavors, preservatives, cholesterol, trans fats or sodium”

The traditional package size weighs in at 13 ounces for only $4.99. I found this to be a very reasonable price compared to many of the gourmet or organic varieties found in the natural section of my local Kroger and Whole Foods stores. In fact, compared to two of my other favorite granola brands – this was a bit cheaper! I especially love the fact that several retailers now carry the Go>Nola packaging which is Nature’s Hand single-serving (1.75oz.) package of granola. These are priced at only $.99 each pack and are perfect to grab when you are in a hurry or to toss in your purse, book bag or lunch box.

I chose the Maple Pecan and French Vanilla Almond flavors of granola. I tend to like a fairly plain granola with just simple sweet flavors so these were the first that jumped out at me. I wasn’t at all disappointed with my choices. With large clusters of oats and nuts and a nice sweet taste I found Nature’s Hand granola to be one of the best granola’s I’ve ever tasted. Eating as a snack by itself or sprinkled into yogurt it makes an awesome healthy and yummy snack. I tried eating with a bit of milk for a more traditional “breakfast cereal” and it too was yummy, but the larger clusters were definitely more difficult to eat that way. Overall though – I found the French Vanilla Almond to be the most “traditional” flavor of granola – definitely of the variety most associate with granola. The Maple Pecan was indeed sweeter, but oh so yummy! I preferred it eaten as a snack all by itself (with a side of orange juice – YUMMY!).

The company gets 5 stars from me – good product – great price and excellent packaging and customer service. This is definitely a brand I will recommend and purchase in the future. Thanks to the team at Nature's America Co. and specifically Nature's Hand Granola for the opportunity to review your awesome granola!

**I was not monetarily compensated for this review. I received the above mentioned products in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed within are mine alone.**

Christianity and Politics - A Moral Dilemma or Superiority Complex?

2011-12-30T08:30:00.001-06:00

If you took the time to read my long ramble of a few weeks ago regarding the political situation in our world today then kudos to you. Not in line with my normal “mushy” posts as my sons older brothers mother said the other day about my regular fare around here, it was definitely heated and all me.

I have received flack for many of my decisions in life. Admittedly, I deserved a lot of the grief others have given me over things I have said or done. But that post and the message I bring here today – are things I won’t back down on.

I am a Christian. For the majority of my life I have considered myself a Conservative Southern Baptist. Over the course of the last 5 years, my heart and views have changed about a lot of things in life. I choose now to not associate myself with a denomination. Why you ask? Because I want to be a follower of Christ – not a follower of the church leader. I grew up with my Dad being a minister. I love my Daddy and I agree with much of what he preached and preaches still, but as I have grown as an individual my beliefs have changed and I have to set myself apart from what I was taught at times.

I believe Jesus Christ is the only salvation. I believe in Heaven and Hell. I believe that God is a loving God, a forgiving God, and a harsh and vengeful God in turn. I have read and studied and read some more and despite the scientific theories presented around us, I believe that God created the world and all things around us. How he did so is a mystery that for me – is of no importance. I believe that not one soul is without sin (as immoral/bad acts are called by most Christians). There is a battle of good and evil in each of us. God gives us a chance to be redeemed and to win the battle – but he hasn’t forced us. So, some people choose to do what is right – others choose to do what is wrong. I believe that if I want to call myself a Christian it has more to do with how I act than it does to do with whether I have “accepted Christ as my personal Savior”. Yes – I believe (as stated above) that Christ is the only salvation. My salvation is that – salvation from eternity in Hell. But that doesn’t make me a Christian. Without his death on the cross – we would have no chance of redemption and a place in Heaven upon our death. But the term “Christian” was used to describe those in ancient times who literally followed Christ both physically in his journeys and figuratively in his actions. Sadly – in today’s day and time, many people have said the prayer and professed faith in Christ but their actions and daily life are far from following Christ – thus I use the term Christian loosely. I honestly don’t want to be associated with the majority of so-called Christians out there today.

The Bible is the Word of God. It gives us a picture of what God wanted for his creation. It also gives us a clear picture of how messed up we as individuals are. The Old Testament is full of incest, adultery, theft, murder and lies – all done by those that God exalted as his “chosen people”. God forgave. God gave second chances and God loved. Christ came to a sinful world full of debauchery as the infamous Saul/Paul would state countless times in the book of Romans. Yet Christ dined with sinners and walked with whores. He came to give the world a chance at something better; Christ gave us a chance at eternal life without all the trials and fears and problems.

I don’t want someone in the White House who is immoral any more than the fundamentalist conservatives of most of the Tea Party movement. But the problem I see – is that there is entirely too much hypocrisy out there. The Republicans accuse the Democrats of being immoral – non Christian heathens, while they themselves are doing (or have done) the exact same thing/things.

Newt Gingrich led the bandwagon that impeached former President Bill Clinton. His impeachment came as a result of what they considered lying under oath not because he was schlepping an intern. The thing is – during the fiasco that became the impeachment of a modern day president – Newt Gingrich made many claims of moral superiority. Guess what folks? He was doing the same thing with someone who wasn’t his wife! ::cough:: ::cough:: Can we say the pot calling the kettle black?

I’m not standing up for the democratic views or even for President Clinton's actions (I think it’s dickish of any man to screw around on his wife/girlfriend –regardless of the situation – end it before you go playing with someone else dudes!). I simply hate that because Newt Gingrich has a capital (R) by his names Christians tend to overlook that fact and consider him superior.

That’s one example of the hypocrisy in politics and fundamentalist groups. I know there are more – but yes – this is a blog and space is limited (sort of). I will attempt to spare you boring details of the many, many, many immoral actions of Democrats and Republicans alike.My goal in this post – is to tell you that I do have morals and values and I do believe in God, his Word and his Son. But those things don’t put blinders over my eyes to the nutcase stupidity and immorality of the “conservative party”.

There are excellent politicians (both morally and politically) on both sides of the party. If you think I’m anti Republican or anti Democrat you are wrong. Stick around and I’ll make some suggestions that would be great choices for the presidency. People like Buddy Roemer, John Huntsman or Chris Christie – crossing party lines is something I am fine with doing. What I want to see in our country is a moral man – yes, preferably one who follows Christ – but one who has a head on his shoulders and understands the full concept before him and the job he is able to do.

Regardless of what the candidate quotes he will “do” in the presidency, reality is there is only so much one man can do, and without the backing of the House of Representative sand the Senate he can’t even get legislature started on many things. Stop blaming the President for everything wrong in our country and start looking locally. Who you elect to represent you in the Senate and Congress makes a HUGE difference in the outcome at the end of the day.

For me, choosing who I will vote for in local, state or national political races has nothing to do with party affiliation and everything to do with intelligence and policy standards. Regardless of what a politician says they can do for my country, if I find them to be immoral beyond tolerable standards – I won’t vote for them. But I won’t say no to voting for a man or woman simply because they aren’t the same denomination of religious beliefs that I am. Prejudices run too deep in our country – and unfortunately the majority of them begins and ends right in the midst of the fundamentalist conservative so called Christian communities.

Review of Couponing: The EXTREME Video Course

2011-12-28T08:15:00.001-06:00

Couponing: The EXTREME Video Course hosted by Rayven Perkins of the awesome blog Stay a Stay at Home Mom was sent to me to review recently. I know by now we have ALL heard of the TLC show Extreme Couponing – even my 4 year old knows about the show! Yes, I am guilty – I DVR it and watch it from time to time. Part of me is sucked in by the craziness displayed and the absurdly large stockpiles folks have built up. The other part of me is truly interested in the kinds of deals other people manage to get and where they get them. I think the show is EXTREME thus the name – and I personally don’t follow the practices displayed by some (I have enough stockpile of common items to last at most a year but certainly not enough to take over a garage, bedroom or to add space on my home to house it.)

So, when I saw the chance to review Rayven Perkins video series called Couponing: The EXTREME Video Course, I was excited. I have been a couponer for several years on a minor level but I have never considered myself extreme. I have a 4-6 month supply of staple items and personal care products in my house at all times. But all of that fits neatly in our pantry and in the bathroom cabinets. Much more and I would have to find another place to put them!

Rayven Perkins series of Extreme Couponing videos is a great place for a beginner to start. She answers a lot of basic questions and gives excellent tips for things like: doubling coupons, B1G1 coupon deals, coupon etiquette, where to get coupons and how to store them. She also has videos included in this series that focus on particular stores (Walgreens, CVS, etc.). I found those to be particularly informative and possibly would be a great help to someone new to the couponing game.

If you are interested in couponing and don’t know where to begin – Rayven Perkins of Stay a Stay at Home Mom has developed a superb video series to help! Check her out!

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.